Signal-control switch



N. GREGORIEFF 1,777,362

SIGNAL CONTROL SWITCH Filed Oct. 30, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 O f z 1.1:..9H J L HUI] 3 6 J Lf 5 O a? w@ J a a 6 f W A f f U 5 o /J W/w I /7 f/A///7/ E 4 ,ME/, m w 6 a 5 2% 4 6 o 7 3 w .l o 7 2 o //7 a wl... 6 /4WL; 4 7/ w J 7 f c f/o E Oct. 7, 1930. N, GREGQRlEFF 1,777,362

SIGNAL CONTROL SWITCH Filed ct. 30, 1926 4 Sheets-Shen 2 Bymao/z@Attorney oct; 7, 1930. N. GREGQRIEFF 1,777,362

SIGNAL CONTROL SWITCH J/ 46 By Tg5 Attorney 45 .44'.

Oct. 7, 1930.:

N. GREGORIEFF SIGNAL coN'rRoL swI'rcH F1103 Oct. 50

, 192e 4 sheets-smet 4 Inventor JfQ/ve /"/7 Attorney Patented Oct. 7,1930 Unirse STATE NICHLAS GBEGORIEFF, 02B'` SCOTIA, CALIFORNIA i ysIeNAL-comnoi'.. swrren yAppl'lialiioli led October 80, 1926. Serial No.145,255/

Thisinventionrelates to improvements in autoincl'iilel direction signalsand particularly in a control switch construction therefor operated'manuallyr as well as bythe steering mechanism in cooperationfor theproper con-` trol of right and left direction signals.

This invention comprehends the provision of a switch mechanism adaptedto be mounted on the frame of a motor vehicle for associationf with thesteering mechanism of a vehicle through a' link and leverconnectionwhereby suitable mechanism within the switch construction is operated'for. controlling a pair of contact members for the-right andy leftsignal elements While suitable manually actuated' means isassociated insaid switch construction with' the ysteering gearactuating means insuch' a manner that the operation of the' signa-1s through the closingof the switch 3U members is controlled through the relative ceoperati'onVbetwn the manually actuated means and thesteering gear actuating meansin order to prevent a giving of false turning signalsin the normaloperation of the automobilev or motor vehicle.

This invention comprehends numerous other objects residingin the detailsof conruction andjassociation of the parts of the switch mechanism whichare moreparticul'arlyVr pointedV ontk .in 'the following detaileddescription and the claims directed to a preferred forml of.construction, it ybeing under- VVst/eo'd heweve'r that various changesin the size, shape, arrangement and association of thepartsmay be madewithout departing from the spirit and' scope of the invention asherein'setfortlt.- ,Y Av v 1in thefdrawingsforming part of thisapplication,

Figure 12 is a-view showing a portion of the steering mechanism and thelinstrument board oan automobile tov which the switch mechanismis-,appiied andv operatively conwith' wiring connections between theswitclif meclmnism-fand thefdirection signals,

VVFig. 2 issn-enlarged side elevation of the exterior of thecasing forthe switch mecha-V nismfshowing the'opemtinglever structure indemillwhichis emectedfor opeiationby the steering mechanism, y

Fig. 3 is a si and portions bro the relation of the operationof tionsignals,

Fig. 4 is a hor de elevational view of the switch mechanism with thecover removed ken away showing in detail parts in the casing controllingthe switches and the direcizontal sectional View taken on the line 4-4of Fig. 3, l

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on line 6-6 ofFig. 3,

Fig. 7 is a detailed elevationalview of one set of switch controllingelements as shown in Fig. 3 removed from the casing and havof thesignals as s the parts,

Fig. 9 is a detailed operated lever,

hown in Fig. 3 to more clearly illustrate the construction and assemblyof perspective of the cam- Fig. l0 is a perspective of oneof the mainvalve crank levers,

Fig. 11 is a detail perspective of one of the latch controlling anisni.

A chassis bar catedv at l with is associated and operation of the knownmanner.

spring members carried by ,the manually operated switch control mechof amotor vehicle is indiwhich the steering mecha- Vnism 2 operated by theusual steering wheel 3 on whichit is mounted for steerlng arm 4 in anywell The instrument board of a motor vehicle is indicated at 5 and cowlat 6 while the improvedswitcli mechanism' con-y structed in accorindicatedat 7 which is with this invention is mounted as illustrateddance in Fig. 1 on the chassis bar l. An insulating base plate 8 mountedon the plate member 9 which is secured as .to the chassis bar 1 of themotor vehicle. A

illustrated in Figure l suitable rectangular casing l() is mountedaround the 8, the casing trolled contacts periphery of the insulatingbase being provided with a removable cover 11. Two

pairs of manually conare mounted iii the central Vstud 28 whichrotatably receives portion of the plate member 8 as indicated at 12 and13 respectively, said contacts being normally disengaged and one ofwhich is provided with the insulating button 14 in each pair. At thelower corner portions of the base 8 are two pair or' steering gearcontrol contacts 15 and y16 respectively which with respective Ypairs oicontacts l2 and 13 are afsociated in series withr the circuits to rightand lett direction signals mounted on the iront and rear oit the motorvehicle as indicated at? and 18 respectively in any manner desired, theCorrespending` pairs of manually and steering gear operated contactsbeing preterably connected in series with the control signals so thatthe operation of one signal is dependent upon the cooperation betweenthe operating mechanism for both pairs of contacts. f I

The operating'mechanism -or the pairs of contacts above describedinclude similar but reversely constructed units mounted at the oppositeends on the base plate 8 ior relative movement and cooperation in thecontrol oi" the pairs of contacts, the description oi' Aone of which isbelieved lto be sutiicient for both in view o' the similarity inconstruction and relation of the parts,

The operating mechanismincludes a manually operable and movable assemblyindicated generally at 19 while a steering Ygear operated assembly 2O isassociated with each manually operated assembly. The manually operatedassembly as more particularly shown in Figs. 3, 4, 7 'and 8 includes aplate member 21 formed at 22 to slidably receive a channel barf29 asillustrated in Fig.- ti i'or slidably mounting the entire assembly ontneplate member 8. Projecting romthe opposite face ofthe plate member 21are the block-like projections 24 from the upper and lower cornerportions thereof, the said projections at the upper corner portionsforming a guide slidably receiving the operating member which haslaflexible connection with the end portion thereof extending upwardlythrough the housing 2G to the operating knob 2T so that it may besuitably manually operated by the axial movement oi' the operating wirein the tubing 26 bywhich the member 25 may be moved downwardly in theassembly 19. At one side or' the intermediate portionk or the platemember 21 between the projections 24 clearly shown in Fig. 8 is'tormcdthe the angle lever 2911er limited rotating movement and operation bythe member 28.' ylQhis angle lever 29 has la lateral projection at oneend as. indicated at 30 in Fig. 8 which is adapted to pro ject throughthe arcuate slot 31 in the cover plate 32 or' the assembly 19'which issuitably vremovably secured to the ends oi the projections 24 by screwsor the like.V A lea'i spring 'member having a reversely bent free end isillustrated in Fig. 11 at which has one end to retain the assembly 19 atofthe-projection -41 as may vtained from Figs. 3 rand 4.f'

mounted on the outer face oi` the cover plate 32 of the assembly 19 asclearly shown in Fig. 3 vwhile the reversely bent end extends inwardlybetween the cover plate and the plate 21 for engagement with one end oithe angle lever 29 to normally retain the same in the position shown inlFig. 7 Frojections 34 are l'ormed on one side edge adjacentthe lowerend portion oi' the cover 32 and the plate member 31 which are providedwith recesses B5 adapted to' receive the resiliently projected pawl 36secured to the base 8 and adapted the opposite limits of its movement.,The opposite side and f the upper end of the assembly 19 are providedwith a recess portion 36' inwliich the projections'on the limitinginember-Bfiextend ,tor limiting the sliding movement oi the 'assembly-19onthe channel bar 23. The projection on the plate members andthe coverplate inthe relation ot theparts as shown in Fig. .3 projects in linewith the button 14 on the pairs of resilient contact members Vso that inthe downward sliding movement on the channel members-23 the assembliesat each 'ide oi the base member 8 will engage the respective buttons 14and move one resilient contact member into engagement with the other.

One rectly clearly illustrated in ment on the channel member rectlyalined below and-with members 23. f Y

The steering gear apparatus assembly 2O as more particularly illustratedinvdetailin vFig. A3 includes a main plate member-40 on one side orwhich are 'ormed a plurality of projections 41 in a predetermined mannerad of the assemblies 2O is mounted dibelow a corresponding assembly 19as Fig. 3 for sliding' move- 38- which is dithe channel jacent thecorner `portions oit the plate mem-y bers. V@ne oi these projections 41is. recessed as illustrated at 42 in the space which opensV adjacentanother relatively close projection 41 as clearly illustrated in Fig. ,8for receivingr in interlocking relation an insulating block member 48having an extension 44 on the lower end member` iorengagement with thepairs ot contacts 15 and 16 respectively ier closing thereof whichcarries a cont-act,

the circuits controlled-.by said contacts. .A

stud 46 mounted on the plate member 40 and extending laterally as shownin Fig. 8 from one face thereof between the projections'41' rotatablyreceives'V the operating pawl 47 which isretained in position by thecover plate 48 removably vsecured to theree end be clearlyk .ascer-Thisl Voperation pawl has a lateral projection49A positioned above theupper end of thelplate40 in the as- Y -sociative relation of the p artswhich is adapted to normally engage the lower end of the operatingassembly 19 labove assembly 20 ier normally raising theassembly v19 toits ycam 'levers 70.l These cam levers are upper limit of movement andretaining the same in disposition as shown in Figs. 3 and 7. Themovement of the pawl 47 is limited bythe above member 41 and the freeend engaging with the assembly 19 so that it cannot` assumeka positionwhich will interfere with the eiiicient'operation of the parts relativeto one another. A lateral extension on the lower end of the operatingpawl 47 as indicated at 50 projects between the cover plate 48 and theplate memberr40 of the assemblyr 20 and has theleaf spring 51 secured toone ofthe upper projections 41 on the plate member 40 engaged therewithfor normally holding theoperating pawl in the position shown. in Figs. 3and 7. Each cover plate 48 is provided on the outerk face thereof with alaterally projecting stud 52 adjacent the lower end portion thereofwhich is `freely received within the bifurcated end 53 of the bell crankoperating lever 54 havingL its central portion suitablyr journaled onthe supporting and bearing assembly 55 mounted on the base 8, while theopposite endkof the bell crank lever is provided with a laterallyprojecting stud 56 which freely engages within the cam slot 57 of theoperating disk 58. This operating disk is mounted on the shaft 59rotatable in the bearing assembly 55 and the bearing sleeve 60 mountedin thecover 1l and mounted on the outer free end thereof'beyond thecover is the lever 61. This lever 61. is provided with an elongatedlongitudinal slot 62 illustrated moreclearly in the dotted line positionof the lever in Fig. 2Lwhichslidably receives the motion transmittingmember 63y which is also slidablein the slot64 of the swinging lever 65`suitably pivotally mounted in the supporting, structure 66y on the upperedge port-ion of the cover 11. The lower end of this lever 65 is formedwith a bearin stud 67 on which is mounted the operatingY l1nk68 as shownin Fig. 1 connectedwith the steering arm 4 so that inthe operation ofthe steering arm the levers 61 and 65 will be `rotated on a pivotthroughfthe cooperation of the slide member 63 vin the'slotted ortionthereof for rotating the yshaft 59w'1ich in turn rotates the disk 58'and through they formation of a cam groove 57 in said disk operates thebellcrank lever 54't-o produce a movement of the steeringgearoperatedassembly 20' downwardly or upwardly onthe channel member 38yto engageV or disengage the terminals 45 with one of the pairs ofcontacts 15 01116 to close the circuit controlled thereby.

l The opposite ends of thecasing member 10 are provided on the innerfaces intermediate the upper and ylower endswithprojections 69011 whichare pivotally mounted the PPO. vided with 'depending projections 71.intermediate the ends havingthe lateral extensions 72 formed thereon atthe lowerends yextending unde1--th'e assemblies 19 and engagirrg in theslotted portion 73'of the memrs 7 4 removably mountedon the lower ends.of-V the cover,` platesk 32 as clearly shown in Fig. 3. A These camlevers 71 have operating heads 75 extendin laterally from the free endsthereof which ie in the plane of the disk 58' for engagement byremovably mounted 1n a predetermined manner on the periphery of the disk58. The

ends 75 are movable on the body of the cam levers 71 and the resilientleaf spring members 7 7 normallyretain the same in the position shownVin Fig. 3. I

' With the parts associated as above described', illustrated lin* theu"drlwvings' and mounted on a `motor vehicle as, shown in Figure 1 withthe corresponding pairs of manually controlledV andsteering gearcontrolled contacts connected in seriesifor control of the respectivedirection signals.; it

will be .understood'that to energize one yloi the signals, the desiredknobI 27 is operated! by depressing the same or moving itinwardlywhich'throu'gh the wire mechanism connected therewith moves the;operating member 25 downwardly between the projections 24 on 'the platemember 21 and operates angle lever 29 for engaging the operating pawl47, moves the same outwardly on a pivot to release projection 49 fromengagement under the assembly 19 so that upon the further "movement theassembly will move downwardlyto its normal position'whereinit will beretained by the resiliently projected pawlj36and. the projection 34 willengage button 14 and move the resilthe cam projections 7 6 ient pair ofcont-acts 12 into cooperation for closing thecircuit controlled therebywhich is also` controlledby they pair of; contacts 15- when these twopairs of contacts are 'in series. The downward movement of the assembly19 will be limited by the member 37 as above described.

This operation is usually completed as the motor vehicle equipped withthe invention approaches kan intersection where it is necessary tomake aturn and immediately before the intersection isireached so thatl as soonas the turn is started the turning of the steering wheel 3 in theoperation of the arm 4 Will through thelink 68 rotate theV disk 58 asabove described and produce an operation of thebell crank lever54 inaccordance with the direction kof turning soy that the assembly 20k willbe moved downwardly to bring theterminal 45 into engagementwith the pairof contacts 15 thus closingvthe cir- 1 cuit tothe signal controlled bythe pairsfof neo the vehicle turn in a directionitor which thepreparation for the operation of the signal vhas not been made, then thecam member 76 will Y move into engagement with vthe cam lever 71 whenthe assembly at the wrong end of the base 8 is then in lowered positionand signal, may be given in accordance with the roperation of the Ymotorvehicle.

What is claimed isz l. A. device oi the class described, comprisingindependent pairs'oit contacts, manually operated means controlling onepair of contacts, automatic means controlling the other pair ofcontacts, said .automatic means being associated with the, manually'operable means whereby to cause tliesimultaneous disengagement ot therespective contacts.

'2. A device of the class described, comprising independent pairsv ofcontacts, independent operating means for each of said pairs of contactsand means connecting said operating means for inter-associated operationwhereby the predetermined movement l' in one direction of one of saidloperating means will operate the other of said operating means in apredetermined manner, and permitting independent operation when moved inan opposite direction.V

3. A device ofthe class, described comprising a plurality of pairs ofcontacts sli'dably in normally disengaged relation, mounted Contactcmbersglor said contacts adapted to close the circuit controlled therebythrough engagementwith the contacts, manual operating means for certainof said contact members, automatic operating means for the other ot saidmembers, and means operatively connecting each of 'the manually operatedmembers with one of the automatically Yoperated members whereby theoperation ot the manually operated members and the automaticallyoperated members areniter-dependent when moved in a direction foropening the circuit and independent when closing the circuit.. Y l. Adevice of the class described comprising a plurality oi pairs ofcontacts iny normallydisengaged relation, slidably mounted contactmembers to close the circuits controlled thereby through engagement withthe contacts, `manual operating means for certain of'said contactmembers, automatic operating means lfor the other oi said members andmeansoperp air actuated arm,

for said contacts adapted atively connecting each oi' the manuallyoperated members with one of the automatically operated members wherebythe operation of the manually operated members and the automaticallyoperated members are inter-dependent when moved in a direction foropening the circuit and independent when closing the circuit. theinitial closing movement of the manually operated members serving todisconnect the same from its associated automaticallyoperated member andthe closing of the automatically operated member operating to permit the`connection of the same with its associated manually operated member.

5. A device of the class described comprising independent pairs ofcontacts, manually operating means controlling one pair ,of contacts,automatic means controlling the other ot' contacts, said automatic meansbeing associated with the manually operable means whereby to cause thesimultaneous disengagement olf the respective contacts when inovedin onedirection and arranged for independent operationwhen moved in an op.-positedirection.

G.'A l device of they class described comprising independent pairs otually operated means controlling one Vpair of contacts, automatic meanscontrolling the other pair of contacts, said automatic meansr beingassociated with theV manually operable means andl means connecting saidmanual and automatic control means whereby to cause the simultaneousrespective contacts when moved in one direction, the initial movement ofthe manual control means 1n anopposite direction oper-V ating to disengage the same from said automatic control means permitting independentol'aerationthereof in said opposite direction.

7. A cn'cult closer comprising independent pairs of movable contacts,manually operable means for one pair. of said contacts, automaticoperating means for the other pair of the contacts Vand including areciprocably Y a rotatable member operable by said arm and eccentricgroove formed in said member, and a pair of oppositelv disposed bellcrank levers, each having -a pin at one end slidably arranged in saidgroov whereby to .oppositely actuate the respective leversupon theopposite v.rotation of said members, andrme'ans operatively connectingthe opposite ends of the bell cranks to one oli the contacts -ofsaidother pair,` and interconnecting means for one of the contacts ot' eachpair adapted for simultaneously moving thesame into circuit openposition.

8.-V A circuitfcloser comprising independent pairs of movable contacts,manually operable means for one pair of said contacts, automaticallyoperating means orthe other pair of said'contacts and including areciprocably actuated arm, a rotatable member operable by said'arm, aneccentric groove formed in contacts, man-` disengagement ofthesaid'member, a pair of oppositely disposed bell crank levers having apin at one end slidably arranged in said groove, whereby to oppositelyactuate the respective levers upon the opposite rotation of said member,means operatively connecting the opposite ends of the bell cranks to oneof the contacts of the other pair, interconnecting means for one of thecontacts of each pair, adapted for simultaneously moving the same intocircuit open position, and releasing means for said interconnected meansoperable upon the initial movement of the manually operable means, fordisconnecting the contact for independent movement of said contacts.

9. A circuit closer comprising independent pairs of movable contacts,manually operable means for one pair of said contacts, automaticallyoperated means for ther other pair of contacts and including areciprocably actuated arm, a rotatable member operable by said arm, aneccentric groove formed in said member, a pair of oppositely disposedbell crank levers each having a pin at one end slidably arranged in saidgroove, Whereby to oppositely actuate the respective levers upon theopposite rotation ofsaid member, means operatively connecting theopposite ends of the bell crank to one of the bell cranks of said otherpair, and interconnecting means for one of the contacts of each pairadapted for simultaneously moving the same into open position, saidinterconnected meansbeing ineffective for moving said manually operatedcontact upon the actuation of the automatically operatedcontact intocircuit closing position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

NICHOLAS GREGORIEFF.

